Highlanders 2024
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Just a hunch, the Highlanders still haven't announced our new attack coach. Tom Marshall could easily be coming in to help with that, potentially with either Flutey or B. Smith getting promoted to attack coach.
If it is multiple, Gualter shapes as the obvious name, perhaps Taine Robinson, but we literally said we were looking for midfielders. Tim O'Malley I believe is floating about, played a game for us a few years ago, so is also in the picture.
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Have some news on the signing front, and it is a little (very) underwhelming.
I'm hearing Tanielu Tele'a is coming in to take the midfield spot. I believe this is a done deal, though unlikely to be announced prior to the squad announcement date. This might make a lot of sense, because there were rumours we were signing Mark Telea... wondering if people got their Tele(')as mixed up!
At hooker, they have not been able to get someone from overseas, so have turned local. They are in a dogfight with the Chiefs for Bradley Slater, no clue whether he is contracted to them and seeking a release, or whether both are fighting for someone who is off-contract. If not him, the word is they are going to have to plomp for Ricky Jackson.
Big meetings were had with Joseph, Clark and Dermody this week, and sounds likely Jamie was laying down the law. Three hours with Derms just laying things out.
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@frugby said in Highlanders 2024:
Have some news on the signing front, and it is a little (very) underwhelming.
I'm hearing Tanielu Tele'a is coming in to take the midfield spot. I believe this is a done deal, though unlikely to be announced prior to the squad announcement date. This might make a lot of sense, because there were rumours we were signing Mark Telea... wondering if people got their Tele(')as mixed up!
At hooker, they have not been able to get someone from overseas, so have turned local. They are in a dogfight with the Chiefs for Bradley Slater, no clue whether he is contracted to them and seeking a release, or whether both are fighting for someone who is off-contract. If not him, the word is they are going to have to plomp for Ricky Jackson.
Big meetings were had with Joseph, Clark and Dermody this week, and sounds likely Jamie was laying down the law. Three hours with Derms just laying things out.
....thats...thats not how you're supposed to do that....naming names? your just supposed to come in a say you know something that the rest of us dont...and then who ever gets named come back in and say thats who you were talking about
do better
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@Bovidae said in Highlanders 2024:
@frugby There has never been any contract info from the Chiefs about Slater. I think this would be a good move for both parties if it happens.
Chiefs want to keep him, nothing signed yet, but I fail to really see why Slater wouldn't want to make the move.
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Bradley Slater is probably the best available locally. That'll do. Sounds like Tele'a is set to get the opportunity of his career. There you go lad, have a full go at centre for a campaign. I'm looking forward to JJ being a bit of a hard arse behind the scenes.
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Man I’d love for the Highlanders to sign Meihana Grindlay.
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@HLD2023Champions Last I heard his name was not mentioned... that of course doesn't mean we aren't looking at him, but I suspect Tele'a was probably signed some time ago (as I say, hence the Telea rumours, think people probably got the two of them confused).
The injury to TUJ will have opened up a space in the squad, which could allow us to sign him if they want him, or it may be that he has already signed with the Blues, Crusaders or an MLR side. We will see.
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From what I’ve heard, Matt Whaanga has been signed on a full time contract aswell
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Hey all,
First time poster here, came across the page awhile ago and have been reading along. Great stuff and it’s good to see NZ getting amongst these kind of blog pages.
Thought I’d chip in with my 2 cents when it comes to signings. Josh Jacombs - no super rugby contract, played great all season for the naki, we know we need a 10. Take a flyer on the kid and let him compete with Millar and Faleafaga. 3 dogs 1 bone approach. I believe he has huge potential.
Cheers team!
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@HLD2023Champions to be totally honest that doesn’t excite me at all, he is what he is. But I do appreciate our hands are pretty tied at this point when it comes to midfield signings. Like previous posters have said, would rather take a chance on Grindlay
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@HLD2023Champions said in Highlanders 2024:
From what I’ve heard, Matt Whaanga has been signed on a full time contract aswell
You could be right, but I doubt he will be on a full-time contract. Could be the injury replacement for TUJ, but there would be no room for him.
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@Mitchsouljah Agreed, Grindlay is the one to get.
There was talk about us signing Taine Robinson as the first five, but not sure how true those rumours are..
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@HLD2023Champions said in Highlanders 2024:
@Mitchsouljah Agreed, Grindlay is the one to get.
There was talk about us signing Taine Robinson as the first five, but not sure how true those rumours are..
No room at 10... we have two spaces left not announced. One is a hooker, and the other long sign-posted as a midfielder.
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@frugby So who’s the replacement lock for Dunshea?
And there’s two centres to sign, Telea was only rumoured not actually confirmed yet
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Don’t forget Millar’s injury aswell
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@HLD2023Champions still clinging on to hope there’s a Peter Umaga Jenson signining in the near future. Has anyone heard any news around that lately?
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@HLD2023Champions said in Highlanders 2024:
@frugby So who’s the replacement lock for Dunshea?
And there’s two centres to sign, Telea was only rumoured not actually confirmed yet
There are injury replacements for Dunshea and TUJ, but these won't be full-time signings.
Tele'a not confirmed, but I'm pretty confident with my intel here... and as I've mentioned it all sort of adds up.
This isn't to say that there aren't other things going on, Bogado might not return, Lowe might have come to a late mutual termination, but I think the rumours around the Ta$man stuff was just T.L.O.M.B stirring shit on Facebook, and it got a lot of people including myself!
As for lock, there was no word of anything as of yet so we will see. They've only just found out he is injured, so it will be about surveying the lay of the land.
